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Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Harvard Negotiation Law Review 2012 Symposium to Feature Ombuds

On Saturday, February 25, the Harvard Negotiation Law Review will offer a free symposium entitled, “Does ADR Work? Evaluating the Effectiveness of Alternative Dispute Resolution.” The first panel session, “Co-optation of ADR: Has it Become ‘Cheap Justice’?” will include Howard Gadlin, Ombuds at the National Institutes of Health.

The event is open to the public, but registration is recommended. (HNLR Symposium 2012 via ADR Prof Blog.)

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Journal of International Ombudsman Association Calls for Papers

The peer-reviewed journal for Organizational Ombuds is planning a special issue on the subject of “One-Person Ombudsman Offices,” to be published in October 2012. The issue seeks to identify those elements of one-person practice that characterize the challenges and opportunities faced by solo practitioners.

Such issues might include:

Managing professional isolation and the specific stresses of working ‘alone’
Using technology, travel, reading, writing, Skype, etc. to broaden our support networks and our outward reach
The importance of building mentoring relationships with other OOs
Marketing internally, and identifying and managing allies
Keeping up to date and managing the diversity of demands Ombudsmen face

The editors are also open to other ideas. Contact the Editor David Miller with any concerns. (IOA News.)

Monday, February 13, 2012

Corporate Secretary Magazine: The Role of an Ombudsman in Supporting a Company's Compliance Efforts

The online version of the periodical for corporate secretaries, general counsel, and governance professionals recently interviewed Jon McBride on the benefits of an Ombuds program. McBride told Aarti Maharaj, Deputy Editor at Corporate Secretary Magazine, why Ombuds are an important complement to formal corporate reporting mechanisms.

You have one cohort of directors: "I'm terrified of what I don't know." And you have another cohort of employees that know things and don't know who to tell. How do you marry up those two interests? The organizational ombudsman is a terrific solution to that. The board members don't need to know the source of issue; they do need to trust their intermediary. That the intermediary will sort the wheat from the chaff and will only bring issues to them that will command their attention.

Jon McBride is a corporate governance consultant that has written previously about the role of the Ombuds. (Corporate Secretary Magazine.)

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Society of Women Engineers Magazine Article on Ombuds

The winter issue of the SWE periodical includes an article: "A Fresh Look at the Organizational Ombudsman." The piece is based partly on interviews with attorney and author Chuck Howard, Ilene Butensky, Ombudsman for the Eaton Corp., Marsha Wagner, Ombuds at Columbia University, and Mary Rowe, Ombudsman at MIT. The article explains that Ombuds are an important resource for women who continue to face gender bias in the engineering profession.

The nonprofit Society of Women Engineers has over 17,000 members in nearly 100 professional sections and 300 student sections throughout the U.S.(SWE Magazine.)Related post: Asian Scientist Magazine: The Organizational Ombudsman Can Help.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Ombuds Term Paper for Sale

TermpaperWarehouse is offering an essay titled, "Corporate Ombudsman." It was submitted by a user named Kwalters on January 29. Price available only to registered users.

Here's a clip:

In recent years, as the value of an ombudsman program has become apparent, many governmental, private sector, and academic organizations have chosen to design and implement a program. Simply stated, almost any organization can benefit from the informal dispute prevention and resolution processes offered by Ombudsmen. (Coalition of Federal Ombudsmen, 2006) Every level in an organization benefits from the neutral and unbiased guidance provided by the Ombudsman, whether it is effective and efficient conflict resolution to providing acceptable guidelines to codes of conduct within organization. The Ombudsman’s neutral position provides an opportunity for concern or complaint to be freely expressed without the fear of repercussion from others.

(TermpaperWarehouse.)

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Chuck Howard Article for Constitution Daily

The leading attorney for Organizational Ombuds has written an article for the National Constitution Center’s blog. As he has in other pieces, Howard explains the incentives that discourage people from reporting workplace misconduct. He concludes that more Ombuds would fill the governmental need for corporate governance reform while safeguarding the interests of individuals.

Recent American history has demonstrated the need for more careful oversight of corporate conduct and the importance of the whistleblower as an agent of sound business practice. But as Congress’s efforts demonstrate, legislative attempts to fix our corporate governance problems—by offering bounties, sanctioning anonymous reporters and encouraging reports of misconduct directly from employee to the SEC—are not likely to be successful and could prove to create more problems than they solve. A better answer would seem to lie in corporations aggressively addressing their own internal procedures in a way that safeguards constructive reporting and, through that, mitigates the need for governmental intervention.

(Constitution Daily.)

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

The Ombuds Year in Review: 2011 (Part II)

This is the second installment of the top ten Ombuds stories of the year. The series will conclude on December 22.

6. Notable Ombuds Retire -- This year saw the retirement of many prominent Ombuds, including: Janis Schonauer (AllianceBernstein); Dorothy Graham (Kennesaw State University); Sandy McDermott (Portland State University); John Mather (University of Wisconsin-Madison); Stan Soffin (Michigan State University); Pierre Niedlispacher (Coca-Cola Refreshments); Lewis Redding (Jet Propulsion Laboratory); Suzanne Belson (Department of National Defense and Canadian Forces); Carolyn Noorbakhsh (National Renewable Energy Laboratory); John S. Carter (The Citadel).

5. New Offices Open in Africa -- In 2011, three African universities created Organizational Ombuds offices: University of Cape Town; University of KwaZulu-Natal; and American University in Cairo. (Previously, the only true Organizational Ombuds programs on the continent were within the African Development Bank and United Technologies Corp.) In addition, the African Ombudsman Research Centre was established at UKZN in South Africa.

4. Chuck Howard Takes His Show on the Road -- The year after the ABA published his seminal book about Ombuds, Howard embarked on series of speaking engagements with stops at: IOA Conference in Portland; Quinnipiac University School of Law; ABA Dispute Resolution Section conference in Denver; RAND Corporation Whistleblower Symposium; Society of Corporate Compliance & Ethics webinar; Defense Industry Initiative's Annual Best Practices Forum; Marquette University; Minnesota State Bar ADR conference; Silicon Valley Chapter of the National Association of Corporate Directors; and Stanford University. In addition, he published articles in: Hartford Business Journal; Journal of IOA; and Connecticut Law Tribune. Wow.

Friday, December 16, 2011

Journal Article Traces Ombuds History

An article by McKenna Lang in the Journal of Conflictology looks at the history of the Ombudsman institution. In "A Western King and an Ancient Notion: Reflections on the Origins of Ombudsing," Lang writes about how the Swedish King Charles XII started this enduring role in 1713.

Although she acknowledges the expansion of the concept to North American universities and corporate entities, she does not delve into the Organizational Ombuds model. (Journal of Conflictology.)

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Review of Chuck Howard's Book at CorpGov.net

James McRitchie, the publisher of the corporate governance site CorpGov.net, has reviewed Charles Howard's book, "The Organizational Ombudsman: Origins, Roles and Operations-A Legal Guide." McRitchie's interest was piqued by the recent panel discussions about Governance Ombuds hosted by the Silicon Valley Chapter of the National Association of Corporate Directors and the Rock Center for Corporate Governance at Stanford University.

McRitchie's review concludes with this paragraph:

After reading the book I can say I’m still amazed more companies haven’t added ombuds functions. Setting up such an office and operating it so that confidentiality, independence and neutrality are protected is no easy task but there appears to be much more upside than downside, if done right. The flawed cases referenced where confidentiality was denied appear to be deeply flawed. However, I wouldn’t undertake such a task without Howard’s book and I would also want to join the International Ombudsman Association to discuss the idea with several who have set up and operated such offices. While it isn’t an “idiot’s guide” or step-by-step approach, the subject matter doesn’t lend itself to that possibility at this stage of development. Charles Howard’s essential guide for organizational ombudsman will undoubtedly facilitate growth of this important function that could help develop a culture of trust, candor and accountability.

(CorpGov.net.)

Monday, December 5, 2011

Journal of IOA Explores Issues of Confidentiality

The latest issue of the Journal of the International Ombudsman Association looks at the fundamental ethical duty of confidentiality. JIOA Editor David Miller says, “the provision of a safe place in which options for action and response can safely be heard, away from the clamour of police sirens and media-fuelled public approbation, can help to protect the individual and public interest by ensuring that matters have a greater likelihood of swift resolution.”

Articles in the current issue of JIOA include:

“In Whom Can We Trust?” by David Miller
“Protecting Confidentiality: Considerations for the Ombudsman Subjected to Adverse Publicity or a Subpoena to Testify” by Charles L. Howard
“Lessons Learned: A Revisit to the Garstang vs. California Institute of Technology Ruling” by Helen Hasenfeld
“Ombuds in a Cloud of Exabytes — Understanding the Ombuds’ Digital Trail” by Craig B. Mousin
“Can We Talk? Confidentiality and the Ombudsman as an Individual” by Indumati Sen
“What Happens to Confidentiality if the Visitor Refuses to Report Unacceptable Behavior?” by Mary Rowe
“Practice Note: Imminent Risk — A Serious Exception to Confidentiality” by Ilene Butensky
“An Ombudsman’s Role in the Face of Confidentiality Violations” by Nicholas Diehl
“Online Dispute Resolution and Ombudsmanship” by Frank Fowlie
“The Conflict Competent Organization: Assessing the Perceived Economic Value of the Corporate Ombuds Office” by Jason A. Waxman

(JIOA, vol. 4, no. 2.)

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Journal of Public Integrity Publishes Article on Ombuds

The latest issue of the journal published by Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (an executive branch entity composed of all American Inspectors General) features an article on the benefits of an Organizational Ombuds program in a governmental setting.

"Organizational Ombuds: The Best-Kept Secret for Strengthening Internal Efficiency" was written by Scott M. Deyo, the Ombudsman for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and Michael Kamins, a masters student in the Negotiations and Conflict Management Graduate Program at the University of Baltimore. The article uses the Department of Defense Inspector General's Ombuds office as a case study to illustrate the methods, standards and benefits of an IOA-compliant program. After the DoD IG Ombuds Office was established in March 2009, it served approximately forty percent of agency staff and resulted in major improvements to: corporate communications; decision-making processes; merit systems principles; quality and timeliness of agency processes; teamwork; acquisition; oversight; field operations; the transition back to the general schedule; and many other areas involving mission readiness. (Journal of Public Integrity.)

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Cal Caucus Relaunches Journal

The California Caucus of College & University Ombuds has announced that its journal will be reconfigured for an online format. The Journal of the CCCUO, which has been published since 1987, will be edited by Lisa Neale, Associate Ombuds at the University of Colorado, Denver and Helen Hasenfeld, Emeritus Ombuds from the California Institute of Technology. The new format will be interactive in ways that a print journal cannot (e.g.: allowing for reader comments and dialogue with authors).

A session at the next Cal Caucus conference will provide more information and opportunities for those interested in the new journal. A call for submissions is expected later this year.

Related post: Registration Opens for 2011 Cal Caucus.

Friday, July 29, 2011

IOA Completes Ombuds Compensation Survey

The International Ombudsman Association announced that 199 practitioners participated in a compensation survey. The study, which also queried Ombuds practices, will be compiled into a report to be published in October 2011. The IOA said that 45% of its members participated in the survey. (IOA News.)

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

ENOHE Newsletter Highlights 2011 Conference

With the start of its ninth annual conference in Madrid, the European Network for Ombudsmen in Higher Education has published its latest newsletter. In addition to an overview of conference activities, the newsletter includes the following articles:

Editorial by Josef Leidenfrost, Austrian Student Ombudsman and Convenor of ENOHE
8th ENOHE Conference 2010, Vienna through the Rearview Mirror
New ENOHE Homepage and Listserv
Journal of the European Higher Education Area
Austrian Student Ombudsman: Enshrined in Law – at Last
Are Ombudsmen ready for Social Media? Their Stakeholders are! by Michael Reddy and Guy Stephens, Syndicus Associates
Student Ombudsman Established at the PUCP
A Letter from the International Ombudsman Association by Tom A. Kosakowski, IOA President
Ulrike Beisiegel, New President of Göttingen University
OIA Annual Report 2010
Forthcoming Events and Publications

Except as noted, most of the articles were apparently written by Josef Leidenfrost. (ENOHE Newsletters.)

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Journal of IOA Seeks Articles for Issue on Confidentiality

David Miller, Editor of the Journal of the International Ombudsman Association, has issued a call for submissions for the peer-reviewed publication. The next volume of the Journal will look at the issue of "Confidentiality and its possible exceptions." The editorial board is especially interested in experiences of Ombuds who may have responded to "imminent risk of serious harm" by breaching confidentiality.

Miller explains:

In particular, we are interested in the context of such experiences, how you thought about your options, what you did, whom you contacted (by role), and what (if anything) happened next? Also, how did it feel to go through such an experience and what lessons would you draw from having done so? If you came very close to breaching confidentiality and then found alternative actions that satisfied the demands of the situation, we would also be interested in learning about these experiences.

Please feel free to disguise the circumstances in ways that do not compromise important facts. For example, we anticipate locating any such narratives in 'composite' universities, agencies and corporations. Examples might include instances in which Ombudsmen have been confronted with visitors bearing weapons, threatening harm to themselves or others, or to you. In this regard, we are interested to identify whether imminent risk issues are particularly pertinent for those in one-person offices. Of course, full confidentiality and anonymity will be respected.

Potential authors should contact Miller directly by email.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

IOA Extends Deadline for Salary Survey Responses

The International Ombudsman Association is in the middle of collecting data for its periodic survey of compensation and practices. The report is often relied upon by Organizational Ombuds and institutions during budgeting and hiring. IOA has extended the deadline for its members to respond to the survey to Friday, June 17. (IOA News.)

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

ENOHE Publishes Proceedings of Joint Conference with ACCUO

In May 2010, the European Network of Ombudsmen in Higher Education and the Association of Canadian College and University Ombuds held a joint conference in Vienna. The proceedings from the conference, "Common Objectives, Different Pathways: Embedding Ombudsman Principles and Practices into Higher Education Institutions" are now available online.

The contents include:

Martine Conway, Josef Leidenfrost: Vienna through the Rearview Mirror
Welcome by Beatrix Karl, Austrian Minister for Science and Research: Ombudsmen as
Important Elements
Workshop A – Mediation: Learning by Doing: Jenna Brown, Mike Reddy, Jim Wohl
Workshop B – Things I wish I had known when I started as an Ombudsman: Clifford Picton, Tim Birtwistle
Workshop C – Challenges to Impartiality: Nora Farrell
Workshop D – Core Curriculum for Development of Scientific Integrity: Lessons to be Learned for Higher Education Ombudsmen: Gerlinde Sponholz, Helga Nolte
Tim Birtwistle: The Importance of the Use of Language, Terms and Titles in Higher Education Life, for Faculty and Students
Wolfgang Weigel: Conflict Management Revisited: Remarks and Observations on the Status of the University Ombudsman
Ram Gidoomal: Independence and Governance: (In)compatible?
Natalie Sharpe: Online Bullying, Discrimination, Harassment – Revising a University Protocol
Christian Sjöstrand: Complaint Management, Students’ Rights and the Principle of Public Access to Official Documents: Experiences from Sweden
Gundi Gadesmann: Problem solving in the EU – The European Ombudsman
Christian Pichler-Stainern: Quality Management and ISO Standards within the Austrian Agency for International Cooperation in Education and Research (OeAD-GmbH)
Karl Andrew Müllner: Establishing an Ombudsman for the Lifelong Learning Programme in Austria – Challenges and First Experiences
Pilar Abad-Garcia: Building Bridges: University Ombudsmen and University Cooperation in the post Bologna European Higher Education Area
Andrea Blaettler: ESU and its Perspective on Student rights and ombudsmen in Higher Education
Luis Adolfo Veliz Cornejo: How to Create an Ombuds Organism at the Pontifical Catholic University of Perú?
Jure Marinovic: An Overview of the Student Ombudsman at the University of Zagreb
Lara Leoncio Sáenz: Latin American University Ombudsmen – Building Better Environments and Fostering Social Change
Robert Behrens: The Pathway Project: An Ombudsman’s Roadmap for the Next Five Years
Sandro Vicini: Dealing with Systemic Issues: Strategies for Solutions in the University Context
Monika Petermandl: Small and Beautiful – How Austrian Universities of Applied Sciences are Dealing with Student Complaints: The Example of the FHWien – Studiengänge der WKW
Doris Kiendl-Wendner: The Powers and Tasks of the Ombudsman in Institutions of Higher Education
Ray Morley: Higher Education Ombudsman and Diversity Issues – Considering the Australian Point of View
Cathryn Heslep: A New University – Addressing Diversity
Robyn Jacobson: Restorative Justice: A Viable Option for Non-academic Misconduct?
Peter Kostelka: Reaching Out to Citizens

(ENOHE Occasional Paper Nr. 7.)

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Call for Submissions: Conflict Resolution Symposium Hosted by Georgia State University Ombuds

The GSU Office of the Ombudsperson will be hosting its first annual Conflict Resolution Symposium on October 27, 2011. The symposium is designed to celebrate the Association for Conflict Resolution's annual Conflict Resolution Day. Symposium attendees and presenters will be undergraduate and graduate students, as well as local Conflict Resolution practitioners.

Organizers are seeking submissions for conference presentations and some may be published. The deadline for submissions is May 2, 2011. (IOA News.)

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Journal of IOA Focuses on Fairness and Equity

The latest issue of the Journal of the International Ombudsman Association takes up the theme of, “Fairness and Equity.” JIOA Editor David Miller says the idea was sparked by Associate Editor Tom Sebok, who asked, “How do we reconcile Ombudsman neutrality with being ‘advocates for fair and equitably administered processes’”?

Articles in the issue include case studies, think pieces, practice advice, and a book review:

“The Ombudsman’s Ability to Influence Perceptions of Organizational Fairness: Toward a Multi-Stakeholder Framework” -- Ariel C. Avgar
“Justice as Basis of Equity and Fairness in Ombudsman Practice” -- Robert L. Shelton
“The Ombudsman’s Guide to Fairness” -- Gerald R. Papica, Ed.D.
“I Was Just Thinking About Neutrality” -- Tom Sebok
“I Was Just Thinking About Fairness” -- Howard Gadlin
“Fairness and Self-evaluation” -- Christopher Honeyman
“Conflict Cost Controlling: The Business Case of Conflict Management” -- Helmut Buss
“Understanding the Research Process: A Guide for Conducting Ombuds Research” -- Alan Jay Lincoln
“Recovery From Conflict” -- Cynthia M. Joyce
“Book Review of The Ombudsman Handbook” -- Tom Kosakowski

(JIOA, vol. 4, no. 1.)

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Chuck Howard on YouTube

The author of "The Organizational Ombudsman: Origins, Roles and Operations--A Legal Guide" has made multiple appearances to promote his book and the Ombuds profession generally. Nonetheless, most people who might want to hear him speak would have to travel a long way and/or pay an event fee. Fortunately, the Quinnipiac University School of Law has posted his latest presentation in its entirety--1 hour and 35 minutes.

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